This watchdog blog, by journalist Norman Oder, offers analysis, commentary, and reportage about the $4.9 billion project to build the Barclays Center arena and 16 high-rise buildings at a crucial site in Brooklyn. Dubbed Atlantic Yards by developer Forest City Ratner in 2003, it was rebranded Pacific Park in 2014 after the Chinese government-owned Greenland Group bought a 70% stake in 15 towers. New York State still calls it Atlantic Yards. Contact: AtlanticYardsReport[at]hotmail.com

Sunday, January 25, 2009

NLG notices this article from the Palm Beach Post quoting ex-Net Alonzo Mourning on team majority owner Bruce Ratner:In July 2003, Mourning departed the lowly Heat - remarking he didn't owe the franchise anything - and signed with title-contending New Jersey as an unrestricted free agent. But things soon went awry in New Jersey (owner Bruce Ratner didn't want to pay to keep center-forward Kenyon Martin or swingman Kerry Kittles) and when it seemed the Nets were finished throwing money around in pursuit of a title, Mourning, who went there to win a title, forced his exit.

He made life miserable for the Nets, spouting off to the media at every opportunity. Remarking on a conversation he had with Ratner, Mourning said, "I asked him, 'Other than your investment in this team for financial purposes - obviously getting a significant return - what's the reason why you bought the team?' " "And you ask anybody in here," Mourning continued, "he said, 'To move it to Brooklyn.' I mean, I didn't hear, 'To win a championship.' "I just shook my head."

And yes, NLG (and AYR) are a heck of a lot better at keeping up on Atlantic Yards than, say, Brownstoner, despite the New York Times's attentions.

2 comments:

a media entity (NYTIMES) who is bleeding cash due to some unwise choices over the last decade about the internet, real estate and the future of news reporting, whose column inches are shrinking and whose signal to noise ratio is descending towards its print competitors.

you can't imagine why they would ignore sites of substance(on a singular topic) for the eye candy short attention span sites.

because they KNOW you are doinng THEIR job.

they can't/won't focus on hard core newsy sites or they will sign their own death warrant. if they point to entertainment styles change often enough and they can lead you to the next cotton candy site. they will still be where you go first.

but if they lead you to SUBSTANCE while no longer providing SUBSTANCE they are DEAD.